Loves Tender Kisses
by lezonne
Summary: Neville's taken a position as the understudy Herbology teacher at Hogwarts. Hannah desperately wants him to understand her feelings for him before he goes. Written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition round 13.


**A/n:** Written for the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition round 13. The prompts are #8 (happily) and #11 (happily). Enjoy the story!

Neville looked down at the plant before him, blissfully extending the new leaves skyward as the sun rose higher in the sky. He has saved the little guy a few days ago after a dreadful storm, and he was happy now to see the plant flourishing with health again. After all, he was starting his new position as the Herbology understudy at Hogwarts this year. He would need to make sure he was up to par with Professor Sprout before he started term.

Unprepared to step back into the ancient halls of his former school Neville collapsed on the grass, closing his eyes as he thought of the past two years. Hogwarts was unwilling to open its doors after the final battle, the carnage and bloodshed staining the ancient building in misery and disbelief. No one has entered the building until this past summer, when the magic surrounding the school let up and allowed living people inside for the first time in a long time. Neville hadn't been there yet, but he dreaded stepping back into the old school. He has far too memories there and part of him feared that the good might over-cloud the bad.

"Thinking of Hogwarts again?"

Neville looked up at the sound of a familiar voice, noticing that Hannah had snuck her way over to him as he rested. She was seated on the dewy grass, her sundress fluttering softly in the wind as he watched. She looked every bit at peace with their surroundings, not at all troubled like Neville was.

"I'm excited for my job," he admitted, closing his eyes. "I always thought being the Herbology teacher would be grand."

"But you aren't excited now. You're afraid to go back."

That he was. Hannah wasn't his girlfriend by any stretch, and she certainly wasn't his lover. Despite the chances Neville went through after standing up to Voldemort he was still terribly shy around the female population. Fondly, he recalled a conversation he has with Hannah shortly after the final battle.

"_You've got a bit of blood on your cheek you know- just there. Here, let me get it."_

_He glanced up, disheveled and relieved that it was finally over. He'd been trembling since the groundbreaking resolution of the battle, since Voldemort disappeared and Harry won. His nerves were on fire, exhilarated that the man was forever gone and overworked after the battle concluded. _

_Hannah sat beside him gingerly, her own head stained in blood on one side that coursed down her neck and disappeared beneath the damp fabric of her sleeve. His eyes widened as she extended a cloth to clean him up, watching his eyes follow the red patches on her own skin._

"_Hermione stopped the bleeding for me," she mused, brushing the blood from his cheek. "She said Greyback almost killed me, but Ron shot a counterattack and I snuck away. Good thing she healed it too. I was losing a lot."_

"_Are you okay?" he asked, gingerly touching the bloody skin. She shrugged, cringing when his fingers connected with it._

"_The skins tender, and I have a massive headache, but Hermione shoved some blood-replenishing potion down my throat and sent me on my way. There are others worse than I to handle. It probably looks worse than it is."_

"_It does," he agreed, twirling the handle of the sword in his hand. He could still feel the thrill of severing the snakes head from its body, helping Harry defeat another Horcrux before he headed off for the final confrontation. Neville wore a sense of pride, knowing he helped defeat Voldemort in the end._

"_You were brave today," she continued, drawing him from his musings. "It takes a lot to stand up against You-Know-Who and say no to something he's asked. He could have killed you."_

"_Hannah, it's Voldemort. He's dead now. There's no use hopping around his name anymore. And I had to stand against him. Never in my life could I imagine changing sides. What kind of maniac stands and fights for someone like him?"_

_She shrugged, glancing skyward. "Someone very different from you Neville. Do you want to go inside? They probably need our help with the wounded."_

_Nodding he stood, extending a hand towards her. She took it, and in his other he carried the Sword of Gryffindor back into the castle to help the victorious. He would later set it down and never see the sword again._

"Fear is a strong emotion," Neville mused, closing his eyes to the sun. "I'm hesitant to revisit those old wounds. Our friends died within those walls."

"But they also died fighting for something they believe in," Hannah countered. "Neville, you have to get yourself out of this rut. Hogwarts cleansed itself. The reports clearly stated that the school is now clear of blood and mangled bodies, the forgotten swept from the entranceway into oblivion. Hogwarts is full of powerful magic and wonder. When others couldn't stand to see it in disarray anymore stained in the blood of the fallen the school took it upon itself to ensure that future generations of students can't see the evidence of where battles took place."

"I know Hannah. I'm not afraid of what I'm going to see. I'm just worried about what I'm going to feel when I step in there and remember the fallen."

"You'll get through it," she said positively, extending her hand to rest on his arm. "You're brave Neville, and you're very strong-willed. You'll be okay and you're going to make a great Herbology teacher someday."

"And what about you?" he joked, opening his eyes again to the girl. "Are you really satisfied working in a dress shop your whole life?"

"No," Hannah agreed, tracing patterns on his skin. "I'm not sure what I want out of life yet. I'm waiting to see where life takes me first. And I mean who knows what I might decide- you're a contributing factor after all."

"Oh?"

"I did mean what I said last summer," Hannah said, her voice taking on a serious tone. "There's something intoxicating about you Neville. You just have to get past Luna in order to see it."

Oh- Luna. She hit the nail on the head right there. The pair was together for a very short while after the war, but they strayed apart when someone new caught Luna's eye, and Neville was always off working odd jobs or spending time with Hannah. They broke apart, but Neville never quite let the soft-spoken blonde go, even if he knew there was no future there.

Hannah knew it too. And Luna's lingering memory haunted Neville still.

"She wasn't right for you," she continued, lying back on the grass as well. "At one point in your life you were infatuated by her Neville, and everyone knew it. But now she's gone- and you don't even love her anymore- but you can't let go of her."

"I don't know why."

"Yes you do! Neville, we've talked about this time and again. You won't let go of Luna's memory and just be happy because it's the last shred of normalcy that you have left in your life. Ginny and Harry moved away from England, and Ron and Hermione aren't even together. Luna is the memory that you hold on to from school to remember a happier time. But she's not coming back, and we both know it. She's married."

"I'm aware of her status Hannah. She's been married for many months."

"Then why won't you look at me?" she grumbled, knowing very well that he was doing well to not let his gave linger on her. "You spent one night together Neville, after months and months of messing around and getting to know each other. That was a year ago. You go away in a couple of months to Hogwarts and I won't even be able to see you again until the winter holiday. Are you really going to just let things hang in the air until then?"

"I don't know what I'm going to do Hannah. It's complicated."

"Only because you make it complicated. Just trust me Neville, please? We both know there's something there. I know things have been hard since your grandmother passed last year, but holding onto shreds of your childhood won't change the fact that time doesn't move in reverse. Everything changes and happens for a reason. Time is moving on. Please, you have to move forward too. And if you would quit being a blockhead and let me in, I think I'd like to try a future with you."

He smiled at that. This was Hannah to a tee, straightforward and certain of what she wanted. He wished he could be that direct with his emotions but then, he'd never really been all that direct about anything. He was too shy.

"I don't know what I want Hannah," he sighed, even though she knew it was a lie. Hannah knew what Neville thought of her, he was just too shy to admit it. "You don't need to hold out on me you know. When I'm off at Hogwarts you'll surely meet someone new and enticing. I mean, you are pretty."

"I doubt I'll meet anyone," she grumbled with a shake of her head. "It's hard to meet someone else when you aren't looking."

Neville made to respond, but she silenced him with a soft, tender kiss to his temple. He closed his eyes a moment, recalling the handful of times they had kissed, both cheeks and lips.

"I'll come by the day you leave," she continued, standing from her position. "You won't leave for the school until sometime close to noon, right? That will give me some time."

"Right."

"I'll see you then Neville," she sighed, standing to go. He watched her walk off, her hips moving slightly as she walked, the pretty sundress swaying in the breeze. Sighing as well, he dropped himself back to the dewy grass once more."

"See you then, Hannah."

* * *

><p>Neville found himself more nervous about Hannah's farewell that morning than the fact that he was returning to Hogwarts. After all the anticipation and uncertainty he had assumed it would be the other way around.<p>

But as soon as he heard the knock on his door, his heart fluttered. She rarely came through the floo, only living one floor up in the apartment complex. Heading to the door he found himself ensuring that his hair looked alright, wanting to make a lasting impression before he disappeared for months.

Hannah was smiling happily when he opened the door, and she threw her arms immediately around his neck. He held her there for many moments, relishing in the feel of her so close and loving.

She exhaled slowly, her hands tightening around his neck a moment. "I'm going to so miss you Neville."

"I'll miss you too Hannah."

"You have to promise to write."

"Of course I will. I'll have to tell you all about what it's like."

The woman cracked a smile at that, pulling away from her tall counterpart. Standing in the doorway of his flat she felt awkward, already missing the man who had not yet departed.

"Do you think you'll have time to write often?"

"I'm sure I can make time. Letters aren't too hard to write when you want to talk to the person," he joked.

Smiling, Hannah took a step closer. He was watching her expectantly now, uncertain what she wanted from him. Before her courage could flee her body, she raised herself up on tip-toe and planted a gentle kiss on his lips.

The feeling lingered long after she pulled away and stepped back, blushing. Neville watched her with wide eyes, hardly able to believe she kissed him again. Hannah stood tracing her fingers over her lips, looking content with herself.

"Just something for you to think about," she grumbled, turning to leave. He caught her shoulder quickly, spinning her around again to face him. She raised an eyebrow, gasping slightly when he descended his lips down on hers again and they shared a kiss once more.

His lasted longer, but only by a few seconds. Pulling back he smiled softly, watching the blush creep up her cheeks. "And that's for you to think about."

Hannah grinned, turning to leave the apartment. If there was one thing she would hold on to while he was away at Hogwarts, it would be those gentle little kisses.

_~FIN~_


End file.
